Explanation
Background: This ordinance will authorize the Director of Recreation and Parks to establish a purchase order with the Columbus Museum of Art in the amount of $1,500,000 for the administration of the construction of improvements to the Museum. Section III of the existing grant agreement, established in 2013 per Ordinance No. 2116-2013, addresses future grant funds as being automatically a part of the original grant agreement upon passage of an ordinance authorizing the new funds.
2015 funding from the City of Columbus will be used for site work on Washington Plaza and the Sculpture Garden, as part of the third and final phase of the Museum’s multi-year expansion and renovation project. The Washington Plaza is the new public entryway on the north and east side of the Museum’s new wing. The Plaza is bordered by Washington and Gay Streets and links the public parking lot and the new entrance to the Museum. The Sculpture Garden, located on the north side of the site, is 17,000 square feet of green space, free to all and open during Museum hours. It is accessible from the Washington Plaza entry or from inside the Museum. The Garden will have areas for sitting, dining, relaxing and special events. It is adjacent to a new café that will be operated by Cameron Mitchell.
The project is on time and on budget with the public opening scheduled for Sunday, October 25. The development of the Museum facility and public grounds is part of a larger initiative in the Discovery District, including expansions by CCAD, Columbus State and private developers. Most importantly, this project will ensure that the Columbus Museum of Art, the oldest Museum in the state, remains a sustainable, competitive and relevant community asset for future generations. The final stage of the project will be the reconfiguration and updating of the Broad Street lawn in 2016. Emergency action is requested to allow the Columbus Museum of Art to begin work as soon as possible, keeping...
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